Many of you have, no doubt, have noticed my reduced volume of posts over the months since 695 was overwhelmingly adopted by the people of this state. I thought Id take the opportunity to discuss that here, briefly.

I was sitting here today reading Patricks usual nonsense when the thought occurred to me that there is no point in arguing with him that there is no level of proof; no evidence; no testimony that will sway him from believing that people are here to sustain and serve government and its ever-growing, cure-all programs that in fact, rarely if ever seem to cure anything.

I have decided that Patrick is a political bigot. You can be one, you know. Patrick does not argue ideas, he instead argues out of his ignorance, and like so many liberals, refers to personal attacks when he lacks the facts to argue his position. As he has proven, honor and integrity are concepts foreign to his ilk, and he prefers censorship to actual differences in ideas.

And, in arriving at that conclusion, I decided that there is really no point in posting here at all. The time necessary; the is not-is so approach by the liberals; the fact that no ones mind is ever changed, the bigotry Patrick displays (which Marsha has done an admirable job of pointing out, and which Patrick childishly refuses to acknowledge) all have reached a point where the expression of ideas and concepts that truly reflect the will of the people (another concept foreign to Patrick) is a total waste of ascii.

The fact is that I-695 truly is the will of the people of this state. The fact is that the MVET was an unjust, unfair tax, and that Patrick and his ilk did nothing to acknowledge or change that, or to acknowledge it, or take the needed action to change it in order to avoid a 695 from becoming the law of this state. The fact is that the people of this state were and are sick of taxes being forced on them without any say. The fact is that the people did not support increasing taxes or fees without a vote after this Initiative was voted in. The fact is that the people continue to demand that DOT address THEIR needs which means more highways, less ferry service and light rail, smaller increases in taxes and fees, and a government that will actually respond to our desires for the future.

Patrick, of course, will rely on that totally bogus poll, paid for by losers in the 695 campaign, run by a democrat pollster (guaranteeing the preordained outcome) and totally flying in the face of reality. Nothing new about that, of course a brief glance at the no campaign shows an almost genetic inability to understand the attitudes of the people. But he knows better, as the many of us who successfully campaigned this issue know better even if he wont admit it.

This state belongs to the people. We will be heard.

So whats it all mean?

It means that I intend for this to be my last post to this board.

The demands of the time needed to run one legislative race, assist in two initiatives and two other legislative races are simply too much. Something has to give, and this board is the first casualty.

Face it spanking Patty has been fun the occasional and all-to-infrequent honest discourse with the opposition has been an intellectually stimulating exercise. But there is only so much time, and I find myself usually out of that particular commodity.

Thank you all (even you, Patrick) and good bye.

Westin

-- Westin (jimwestin@netscape.net), January 27, 2000

Answers

Westin,

Your presence will be missed. Maybe after a long rest, you'll at least pop in and say HYERF (fisher_ru@leg.wa.gov) TRT! Or even if you need foot soldiers or something? Have fun!

-- Marsha (acorn_nut@hotmail.com), January 27, 2000.

Westin:

My thanks in advance to you for your work on behalf of new initiatives and candidates who will be more responsive to the hard-working people of this state.

To everyone else:

As someone who has done some grassroots political work, I ask you to follow Westin's example of grassroots political involvement. By that, I don't especially mean "getting involved" by going to dull government agency meetings which supposedly seek community input when the bureaucrats already have their minds made up. Even attending those meetings and pestering them with uncomfortable questions has its value, however, because the bureaucrats will be reminded who they are responsible to.

The larger fact is, some things can be accomplished ONLY by taking part in the political process of finding good candidates and causes to represent YOU. Too many times I have run into otherwise intelligent people who whine about government. When you ask them, they will also tell you they are above politics and are proud that they haven't voted for years. This attitude is a recipe for more unresponsive government, and more public cynicism, which is bad enough now. If you don't get involved in some manner at the grassroots level -- precinct caucus, county or state conventions, stuff envelopes, ring doorbells, put on a coffee klatch for your neighborhood, putting up signs, and yes, posting to a board -- it becomes easier for the tax increasers, class envy groups and other troublemaking special interests who want your money and think they need to circumscribe your freedom.

Grassroots efforts are part of the political genius of the American system. Grassroots politics definitely work as the success of 695 so emphatically shows. But it depends on a committed citizenry.

So go ahead, pester the bureaucrats, but work for candiates and initiatives aimed at lower taxes, better use of our tax money and more freedom.

Thanks again Westin

-- A.C. Johnson (ajohnson@thefuture.net), January 28, 2000.

I share your growing frustration with the ability of our pet liberals on this forum to suspend common sense as well as cause and effect. I may decrease my involvement somewhat myself.

Please check back from time to time though.

the craigster

-- (craigcar@crosswinds.net), January 28, 2000.

I agree the forum is (was) something of a waste of time. Few minds were changed before or after the vote. The real value here was in understanding the position of the other side. That was actually of help to me.

As for the liberals, those opposed were (are) not all liberals in political affiliation; though they may be more liberal than some of the most vocal posters here. I was called a socialist by somone who I concluded later was close to an anarchist. Major change needs to be carefully considered and adequately justified, and that is a conservative political view. Representitive institutions temper the extreme positions that would result from direct democracy, and that is also a conservative political view.

I have also backed off on posting, but may check in occasionally. It has sometimes been fun, sometimes informative, and somewhat addictive.

-- dbvz (dbvz@wa.freei.net), January 29, 2000.

dbvz--"I was called a socialist by somone who I concluded later was close to an anarchist."

I'm thinking this was Tony. . .

Guess what, I heard him (had to be him since he identified himself as Paula's husband) on the radio a coupla days ago. Even funnier, I guess Paula had called a few months earlier and asked Weissbach to perform their marriage ceremony.

-- Brad (knotwell@my-deja.com), January 30, 2000.

DBVZ, I'm sure have called you a socialist and I'm about as close to an anarchist as you can get.....of course most people confuse anarchy with chaos.. and to everybody who is signing off. HEY this constant banter may not change the minds of any liberal/socialist/communist etc but just think how much your own knowledge has improved by the constant researching in an attempt at the old alchemists dream.. turning a sow's ear into a silk purse

-- maddjak (maddjak@hotmail.com), January 30, 2000.